Disappearing mailbox



Feb. 20, 1962 B. cv RANNEY DISAPPEARING MAILBOX 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 24, 1958 Boiwh 6. Ranney 1N VEN TOR.

Feb. 20, 1962 B. c. RANNEY 3,021,996

DISAPPEARING MAILBOX Filed Nov. 24, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Bomb 6. Ranney 1N VEN TOR.

BY @Mm Feb. 20, 1962 B. c. RANNEY 3,021,995

DISAPPEARING MAILBOX Filed Nov. 24, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 70 v r 7 .90 Q E aa 9,'./02

Boiwn 6. Ranney IN VENTOR.

ired States Fatent Patented Feb. 20, 1962 line 3,021,996 DISAPPEARING MAILBOX Boivin C. Ranney, RD. 1, New Albany, Ohio Filed Nov. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 776,127 8 Claims. (Cl. 232-39) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in mailbox construction, and more particularly toi a disappearing mailbox.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of my copending application Serial No. 597,806, filed July 13, 1956, now abandoned.

A serious difficulty encountered by rural mailboxes is that they are oftentimes damaged by vehicles. This is particularly true in areas having heavy snowfalls which hide the mailboxes. As a result, during a snowplowing operation, the mailboxes are sometimes knocked down by the snowplows. Also, occasionally errant vehicles will strike and damage the mailboxes. Another disadvantage of existing mailboxes is that they are unsightly particularly in that many mailboxes lean in one direction or another due to the efiect of wind and rain thereon. Further, existing mailboxes are often in the way of mower operattions along highways and when the cutterbar of a mower is necessarily lifted to clear the mailbox, a strip of tall grass and weeds is left around the mailbox.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a mailbox which is so mounted that it is normally retracted in an out of the way position, a major portion of the mailbox being buried in the ground, and at the same time it is of such a nature that it may be readily and automatically elevated in order that mail may be placed therein and removed therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mailbox construction which includes a housing adapted to be partially buried in the ground, the housing having removably positioned therein a mailbox, and there being provided an extensible support secured to the housing and to the mailbox, the extensible support beingprovided with a suitable actuator which is operated in response to a vehicle wheel passing over a portion thereof so that the mailbox may be automatically elevated when so desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mailbox construction which includes a housing adapted to be partially buried in the ground, the housing having mounted therein a lazy tong assembly which in turn supports a mailbox normally stored within the housing, the lazy tong assembly having associated therewith operating mechanism including a treadle adapted to be run over by a vehicle wheel, which t'readle will effect the extension of the lazy tong assembly so as to elevate the mailbox.

A further object of this invention is to provide a disappearing mailbox of the type which includes a housing adapted to be partially buried in the ground, a mailbox capable of being completely stored within the housing, an extensible support for the mailbox, and means for operating the extensible support to elevate and retract the mailbox, this means being operated by a vehicle running over a treadle thereof, the front wheel of the vehicle elevating the mailbox and the rear wheel of the vehicle lowering the mailbox.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view from the treadle actuated end of the mailbox, which is the subject of this invention, in the lowered or retracted position of the mailbox;

FEGURE 2 is a perspective view of the mailbox in its raised or extended position;

FlGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view upon an enlarged scale of a portion of the actuating and latch mechanism of the-invention in one position during its operation;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary View in vertical longitudinal section, parts being broken away, and showing a portion of the actuating and latch mechanism in another position during its operation;

FIGURE 5 is a detail view in vertical transverse section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURES 69 are fragmentary views similar to FIG- URE 3 but showing the positions of various parts of the actuating and latch mechanisms during successive steps in the operation thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the mailbox which is the subject of this invention, the mailbox assembly being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The mailbox assembly ill includes a generally rectangular housing with a bottom wall 1 a front wall 16, a rear wall 18 and side walls 2%. Hingedly connected to one of the side walls Ed by means of hinges 22 is a cover 2 for the housing 12.

Mounted within the housing 12 is a lazy tong assembly which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 26 and which includes a pair of identical lazy tongs 28. Each of the lazy tongs 23 is secured to the housing 12 by means of a U-shaped member 39 which is secured to the bottom wall 14 adjacent one of the side walls Ell. The lower portion of each lazy tong 28 is positioned in its respective support 38 and is pivotally connected thereto by a pin 32.

Disposed intermediate the upper ends of the lazy tongs 23 is a mailbox connected to the lazy tongs 28 by pivot pins 36 disposed on opposite sides thereof. The mailbox 34 has the customary front door 38 whereby access to the interior thereof may be gained and has a top door 49 which may be secured in place by means of a latch 42. The purpose of the top door 44] is to permit mail to be removed from themailbox 34 without the necessity of elevating the latter. This is accomplished by merely manually swinging the cover 24 to the elevated position as suggested in FIGURE 5.

Secured to the central part of each of the side walls 26 is a vertically extending track 44 whose upper end extends above the side walls and which upper ends are closed by means of a stop member 46 which is best illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

A pair of horizontally aligned slide members 48 are connected together by a horizontal shaft 55? and are each slidably disposed in a track 44. The horizontal shaft 51) passes through lower portions of the lazy tongs 28 and functions as a pivot pin for the links thereof.

Secured to each of the side walls 20 on opposite sides of the respective tracks 44 is a pair of pulleys 52 over which are trained counterbalance springs 54 whose opposite ends are connected to the bottom wall 14 at the inter section thereof with the front and rear Walls. The other or adjacent ends of the counterbalance springs 54 are connected to the slide blocks 43 on opposite sides thereof.

In order to facilitate the vertical extension of the lazy tongs 28, there is provided a lift arm assembly 56 which includes a pair of widely spaced lift arms 58 connected together by a transverse angle member 6%) at their forward ends. The lift arms 58 are provided adjacent their forward ends with notches 62 which receive upper edge por.

tions of the front wall 16. Incidentally, the lift arms 53 are seated in notches 64 formed in the upper portion of the front wall 16.

Extending forwardly from the front wall 16 intermediate the'height thereof is a pair of transversely spaced angle members forming support arms 66 and braced by a diagonal brace 68. Disposed intermediate the support arms 66 and pivotally connected to the forward end thereof by means of a transverse pivot pin 78 is a generally T-shaped cross-sectional treadle 72 including .a vertically Offset rear end 74. Pivotally connected to opposite sides of the latter is a pair of links 76, see FIGURE 3, connected by a pivot pin 78. Theupper ends of the links 76 are'connected together by means of a pivot pin 89. Disposed intermediate the links 76 and pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 80 is a link 82 which extends between a pair of lugs 84 projecting forwardly from and rigidly mounted on the angle member 60 and carrying a pivot pin 86, the latter passing through an intermediate part of 7 the link 82. It is to be noted'that the rear end 83 of the link 82 lying between the lugs 84 strikes the angle member 60 in certain pivotal positions, and will be seen from 7 lift arms 58.,

Pivotally connected to the support arms 66 by means of a pivot pin 88 is the lower end of a bifurcated latch member 90, see FIGURE 3, having a pair of upwardly projecting arms 92 which are transversely spaced and on their upper ends are each provided with a cam surface 93 and are each further provided adjacent the upper end thereof with an opening 94 in which a leg of the angle member 68 may be seated so as to prevent the counterclockwise pivoting of the lift arm assembly 56. The upper part of each of the arms 92 is also provided with a recess 96 whose purpose will be described in more detail hereinafter.

Also pivotally carried by the pivotal pin 80 and disposed on opposite sides of the links 76 is a pair of links 98,

'whose rear ends are connected together by a transverse rod 100.

is urged rearwardly by means of a coil spring 102 anchored to the front face of the front wall 16. Also extending between the pivot pins 78 and 86 is a coil spring 184.

Extending upwardly and of each of the lift arms 58 is an arcuate member 106, each of'which has its upper 'end braced by means of a brace member 108 secured to an intermediate part of the associated lift arm 58. Extending over each arcuate member 106 and anchored to the bace members 108 as at 110 is a coil spring 112 whose opposite end is connected to its associated slide block 48. The spring 112 of each of the lift arms 58 provides a shock absorbing connection between the lift arm assembly 56 and the lazy tong assembly 26'.

With the structure of the device being. as-above set forth, the operation thereof and the sequence of operational steps will now be set forth. 4 7

Assuming the box to be in its retracted or collapsed position, the position of the actuating and latch mechanisms will be positioned as shown in' FIGURES l, 3 and 6. The spring 102 is yieldingly urging the latch member 90 towards the angle member 60 carried by the lift arms 58, while the spring 104 is yieldingly urging the links 76, 82 together about their pivot 80. In this rest position it is to be noted that the pin 100 is spaced from V and out of contact with the cam surfaces 93 on the ends of the latch'member arms 92. Under the influence of forwardly from the rear end of the device positioned as shown in FIGURE 6, it is assumed that the'front wheel FW of an automobile passes over the treadle 72 and initially depresses the latter as suggested in FIGURE 7.

The depressing of the treadle 72 pulls the links 76 downward and through engagement of link 82 with the angle member 60 swings the lift levers 58 about the fulcrum formed by the interengaged notches 62 and 64. This pivoting of the levers 58 tensions the springs 112 and thereby elongates the lazy tongs or toggles 28 and lifts the mailbox to its extended and elevated position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. During this operation, there is a rearward or outward shifting of the pivot pin 80 by the links 76 as shown bycomparison of FIGURES 6 and 7, which'causes the latch member pin 100 to move up on the cam surfaces 93 of the latch member arms 90 as the latter pivot towards the angle member 60 and effects engagement of the latter in the'notch 94. This notch thereby locks the lift'levers and consequently the mailbox in the extended or lifted position of the latter.

As the wheel passes oif of the treadle 72, as shown in FIGURE 8, the spring 104 now lifts the treadle, moves the links 76 and 82 towards each other about their pivot 80 while lifting the latter and the upward and rearward movement of the pivot 80 shifts the links 98 and the latch member pin 100 off of the cam surfaces 92 and beyond the recesses 96. r

The lazy tong assembly is thus held in its extended and mailbox elevating position, shown in FIGURE 8, since the notch 94 is maintained in engagement with the angle member 60 by the action of the spring,102 and therefore the lift arms 58 cannot swing' downward or clockwise about their fulcrum formed by the engaged notches 62 and 64.

When the treadle 72 is again depressed by the. second passage of a wheel thereover, such as rear wheel RW as shown in FIGURE 9, the depressing of the treadle draws the links 76 downward, which in turn swings the pivot pin 80 in a clockwise direction as the link 82 likewise turns in the same direction. This pulls the link 98 away from the latch member arms 92 drawing the latch pin 100 into the recesses 96. Continued movement in this direction thereupon withdraws the latch member 92 releasing the angle member 60 from the notch 94 therein, so that the angle member and the entire lift arm assembly .is now free to move downwardly under the influence of its return springs 112 and the weight of the mailpox carried gravity the lazy tongs are collapsed and the mailbox is retracted into and enclosed in the housing 12. V

Attention is now .directed to the sequential, operational views of FIGURES 6-9 which disclose the automatic extending and retracting of the mailbox. With the parts thereby, so that the parts will return to the original position shown in FIGURE 6.

It will thus be apparent that the latch mechanism of this invention automatically upon a first depressing of the treadle extends the lazy tongs and locks the elevating assembly in its raised position; and upon a second depressing of the treadle disengage's the latch and allows the lazy tongs to. return to the recessed or retracted position.

The foregoing is, considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A disappearing mailbox construction comprising a housing partially buried and concealed in the ground, said housing having enclosing walls and a movably mounted cover therefor, a mailbox normally disposed and concealed within and enclosed by said walls and cover and movable and elevatable therefrom, a' lazy tong assembly secured in and extensible from said housing and supporting said mailbox for verticaYmovernent into and out of said housing, actuating means connected to said lazy tong assembly for forcibly extending the latter to elevate said mailbox, said actuating means including a vehicle wheel engageable and operated linkage extending exteriorly of said housing.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes shock absorbing means for cushioning the action of the lazy tong assembly and mailbox in their vertically extending and retracting movements.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lazy tong assembly includes a pair of lazy tongs in parallel relation and means for pivotally supporting said mailbox between and upon said lazy tongs.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means further includes a latch means for retaining said lazy tong assembly in its extended position and means including said linkage responsive to successive engagements with and actuation by a vehicle Wheel for first extending and locking said lazy tong assembly and for thereafter releasing said locking of the extended lazy tong assembly.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing includes vertically extending guide means therein, slides movably mounted on said guide means, means connecting said lazy tong assembly to said slides.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means for said lazy tong assembly includes a lift lever, fulcrum means associated with said lift lever and a wall of said housing for pivoting said lift lever upon the latter.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means for said lazy tong assembly includes a lift lever,

fulcrum means associated with said lift lever and a wall of said housing for pivoting said lift lever upon the latter, said actuating means including a treadle, linkage connecting said treadle to said lift lever.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means for said lazy tong assembly includes a lift lever, fulcrum means associated with said lift lever and a wall of said housing for pivoting said lift lever upon the latter, said actuating means including a treadle, linkage connecting said treadle to said lift lever, said linkage including a latch means operatively engaging said lift lever for locking and releasing the latter upon successive actuations of said treadle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 607,539 Camp July 19, 1898 661,226 Post Nov. 6, 1900 794,870 Lofiand July 18, 1905 1,033,502 Wheeler July 23, 1912 1,105,869 Anderson Aug. 4, 1914 1,494,181 Morris May 13, 1924 2,266,268 Robinson Dec. 16. 1941 

